Refrigerated display unit

ABSTRACT

1. A COMBINED AUXILIARY REFRIGERATION AND DISPLAY CASE FOR USE WITH A PRIMARY DISPLAY CASE COMPRISING AN ENCLOSURE FORMED FROM A HEAT INSULATING MATERIAL DEFINING A STORAGE COMPARTMENT IN THE ENCLOSURE, AN OPENING IN THE ENCLOSURE FOR INSERTING AND WITHDRAWING FOOR PRODUCTS THEREFROM AAND A DUCT MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE AUXILIARY REFRIGERATION AND DISPLAY CASE TO SAID PRIMARY DISPLAY CASE FOR CONVEYING COOL AIR FROM THE PRIMARY DISPLAY CASE INTO THE AUXILIARY DISPLAY CASE.

Jan. 5, 1971` B@ K. DAvls n REFRIGERATED DISPLAY UNIT BzS'neets-Sheet 2Filed Oct. l5, 1965 l lL &\ A.. y P

United States Patent O 3,552,138 REFRIGERATED DISPLAY UNIT Bob K. Davis,Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to The Pillsbury Company, Minneapolis,Minn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 495,568Int. Cl. A47f 3/04 U.S. Cl. 62--249 12 Claims The present inventionrelates to refrigerated display cases used for storing and displayingrefrigerated or frozen foods in retail stores.

Many display cases have been previously proposed for storing anddisplaying foods under refrigeration. The refrigerated display cases nowin use are frequently overiilled and space in them is at a great premiumbecause of their relatively'small capacity compared with that availablein display cases and racks which are unrefrigerated. This, of course, isdue to their higher cost. Anyone who hasvshopped in a modern supermarketwill be familiar with the difficulties encountered in attempting to nd aparticular food product stored in either a refrigerated or frozen foodstorage case when the food products are piled oneon top of another. Atthe present time there is no satisfactory solution to this problem.Thus, refrigerated and frozen food cases continue to be filled tocapacity and sometimes slightly beyond their designed capacity with foodproducts making it difficult for purchasers to see the food products andwithdraw them easily from the case. My invention. is designed to helpeliminate this unpleasant and time-consuming task. In view of theseproblems encountered in the prior art it is one object of the presentinvention to provide an effective and relatively inexpensive means forsubstantially expanding the available storage space in a frozen orrefrigerated display case.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliarydisplay caseI for frozen and refrigerated foods which is inexpensive toproduce, reliable in opera-y tion and rugged in construction.

A further object of the invention is the provision of anapparatus forsubstantially expanding the available storage space in a frozen orrefrigerated food case which provides substantial manufacturingeconomies through the lack of requirement for an integral refrigerationunit.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improveddisplay case and auxiliary storage unit which both refrigerates thegoods stored therein as well as effectively displaying the foods wherethey can be easily seen by the purchasers.

vYet another object of the invention is the provision of an improvedrefrigeration and display unit wherein manufacturing economies areobtained through the use f a single element both to providerefrigeration for the case asywell as for securing the auxiliary displayunit to a primary display case.

These and other and more specific objects of the invention will becomeapparent from the following specication and claims wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of one form of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 2 2 of FIG.1.

lFIG. 3 is a partial vertical sectional view of a modified form of theinvention on the same scale as FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is another embodiment of the invention on the same scale as =FIG.2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 5.

Refer now to FIGS. 1 `and 2 which illustrate a refrigerated display case10 of well-known construction and a 3,552,138 Patented Jan. 5, 1971display case 36 according to the invention. The display case 10 includesa housing having side walls 16, a rear wall 18, a top wall 20 and afront wall 22. Also included is a refrigeration apparatus 24 of thecompressed gas type powered by an electric motor 26. The display casealso includes a food compartment 28 which is open at the top andprovided with shelves 30 upon which food articles 32 rest. As clearlyshown in FIG. 2, the compartment 28 is lled with cool air 34 produced bythe refrigeration apparatus 24 and conveyed to the storage compartment28 by means of suitable air ducts not shown.

In accordance 'with the invention, there is provided an auxiliaryrefrigerated or frozen storage and display unit 36 including a housing38 having a pair of parallel side walls y40 and 42, a front wall 44, arear wall 46 and a bottom wall 48. Each wall is formed from a suitableheat insulating material such as a pressed fiberboard, foam plastic,corrugated paperboard, liber glass insulating material held betweenlayers of sheet metal or the like. Other suitable insulating materialsknown to the art can be employed.

At the upper end of the auxiliary display unit 36 is an opening 39 whichis closed by means of a cover 40 formed from a transparent material suchas a polymethyl methacrylate that is connected at its rearward end bymeans of a pivot 42 so that it can be raised and lowered when foodproducts are to be placed within the unit 36 or withdrawn therefrom.Suitably secured to the rearward wall 46 is a retainer 50 which isgeneraly U shaped as seen in side elevation including a horizontal leg50a, a vertical leg 50b connected thereto and extending downwardly intothe storage compartment 28 and a second parallel leg 50c which consistsof a ilexible rubber hose extending downwardly into the housing 38. Theretaining means 50 is hollow to provide a duct means 51 communicatingbetween the food compartment 28 and the interior of the auxiliarystorage unit for syphoning the cool air within the housing 28 from thebottom of the case 10` where the temperature is the lowest to the lowerportion of the housing 38. Within the leg 50c is a pumping meanscomprising a rod 51 slidably mounted in a sleeve 51a. At the lower endof rod 51 is a plate 51b positioned to close the lower end of hose 50c.Continued lifting of the rod 51 'will elevate the hose 50c. When rod 51is lifted repeatedly, cool air -will be pumped in to the housing 36 fromcase 10. Once retainer 50 is illed with cool air, ow will continue byitself.

The warmer air within the housing 38 will pass out through an opening 64provided with a pair of vertically disposed parallel baffles 65 and 66which extend over a part of the opening 64. The inner plate 65terminates a short distance from the top of the opening 64 and the plate66 terminates a short distance above the bottom of the opening 64.

Refer now to FIG. 4 which shows a modified form of the invention. Inthis form, an auxiliary storage and refrigeration unit indicatedgenerally at 70` includes front and 'back walls 72 and 74 and side walls76 and 78 of a Asuitable insulating material such as of the typedescribed above such as pressed board, foamed plastic, cardboard or anyof the well-known conventional insulating materials supported betweeninner and outer panels of a different material such as sheet metal todefine a storage compartment 80. Adjacent the back wall 74 and slightlyspaced therefrom is a laterally extending vertically disposed panel 82to define a duct 84 which is connected by means of a suitable duct 86,only a part of which is shown, to a refrigeration unit such as thedisplay case 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2. A cover (not shown) identical with thecover 40 is used in the apparatus of FIG. 4. During operation, cool airmovement is started in any convenient manner following which cool airwill travel downwardly through the duct 86 from the primaryrefrigeration unit 10 through the duct 84 and thence through an opening`88 into the compartment 80. Suitable bales such as vertically disposedplates 90 and 92 are provided adjacent the opening 88 for controllingthe rate of flow of cool air from duct 86 into the compartment 80. Apair of similar parallel and vertically disposed baies 94 and 96 areprovided at the front and rear of an outlet opening 98 in the front wall72 for controlling the flow of cool air therefrom.

Refer now to FIG. 3 which illustrates a slightly modied form of theapparatus of FIGS. l and 2 and wherein the same numbers refer tocorresponding parts. In the apparatus of FIG. 3 the flexible hose androd 51 are replaced lby a solid duct 50c and motor 67 connected to a fan69 within the duct 50c. The motor is operated by a current suppliedthrough conductors wired to a switch S and battery B. The switch S istemporarily closed to start the air ow through duct 50c. Thereafter airwill continue to flow of its own accord. A continuous flow of cool airat a relatively slow rate will then occur through the duct means 51.

Refer now to FIG. which illustrates another form of the inventionincluding a display case similar to the display case 10 of FIG. 1 withthe same numerals referring to corresponding parts. Secured to the frontof the display case 10 Iby means of a combined duct means and retainer100 is an auxiliary laterally elongated refrigerated storage and displaycase 102 of sufficient length to extend the full length of the displayunit 10. The unit 102 includes a downwardly and forwardly inclinedbottom wall 104, a vertically disposed front wall 106, a back wall 108and end walls 110 and 112 all composed of heat insulating material suchas foamed polystyrene. At the top of the display unit 102 is an opening105 that is covered with a plurality of laterally aligned and adjacentlids 114 each having a handle 116 and each being secured at its rearwardend by means of a pivot 118 to the auxiliary display unit. Duringoperation, when the handles 116 are raised food products 120 can beeither inserted or removed from the display case. Because bottom wall104 is inclined, the tops of the food articles are spaced slightly belowone another in a stepped pattern thereby presenting more of the printedmaterial on each package in a position Where it can be easily seen by ashopper. Suitably secured to the top of the retainer and duct means 100is an inclined rearwardly extending sheet of plastic 122 for limitingthe flow of cool air from the lower end of the display case 10. Thesheet 122 is made of clear plastic or the like so that food articles 32within the case 10 can be easily seen.

The combined retainer and duct means 100 includes a connecting section124 and a pair of spaced apart vertically disposed sections 126 and 128,one on either side of the front wall 22 of the display case 10. In thefront of the auxiliary case 102 is an opening 108 through which Warm airis exhausted. Within connecting section 124 is a fan 125 that is driveneither continuously or intermittently by a small motor 127.

The term refrigeration or refrigerated as used herein is meant toinclude a chilled condition below room temperature and usually below 40F. and to include a condition in which the article being stored is at atemperature below its freezing point.

It is apparent that many modifications and Variations of this inventionas hereinbefore set forth may be without departing from the spirit andscope thereof. The specific embodiments described are given by way ofexample only and the invention is limited only by the terms of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A combined auxiliary refrigeration and display case for use with aprimary display case comprising an enclosure formed from a heatinsulating material defining 4 a storage compartment in the enclosure,an opening in the enclosure for inserting and withdrawing food productstherefrom and a duct means extending from the auxiliary refrigerationand display case to said primary display case for conveying cool airfrom the primary display case into the auxiliary display case.

2. A combined auxiliary refrigeration and display case for use with asource of refrigerated air comprising in combination an enclosure formedfrom a heat insulating material, an opening in the enclosure forinserting and withdrawing food products therefrom and a hollow fastenermeans extending from the auxiliary refrigeration and display case to thesource of refrigerated air for connecting the case to the source of airand for conveying the refrigerated air into the auxiliary display case.

3. A combined auxiliary refrigeration and display case adapted to beused with a primary display case comprising in combination an enclosureformed from a heat insulating material defining a compartment in theenclosure, an opening in the enclosure for inserting and withdrawingfood products therefrom, a duct means extending from the primary displaycase for conveying cool air into the auxiliary display case and a pumpmeans for regulating the ow of air through the duct.

4. An auxiliary refrigeration display case for attachment to a primarydisplay case comprising in combination an enclosure formed from a heatinsulating material defining a compartment in the enclosure, an openingin the enclosure for inserting and withdrawing food products therefromand a U-shaped duct means extending from the display case to saidprimary display case for conveying cool air from the primary displaycase into the auxiliary display case.

5. In a refrigeration apparatus including a primary refrigerationstorage unit and a secondary display refrigeration unit, the improvementcomprising a combination retainer and duct for securing the secondaryrefrigeration display unit to the primary refrigeration storage unit,said retainer being hollow and providing duct means for conveyingrefrigerated air from the primary refrigeration storage unit to thesecondary display refrigeration unit.

6. In a refrigeration apparatus including a primary refrigerationstorage unit and a secondary display refrigeration unit, the improvementcomprising a combination retainer and duct for securing the secondaryrefrigeration display unit to the primary refrigeration storage unit,said retainer being hollow and providing duct means for conveyingrefrigerated air from the primary refrigeration storage unit to thesecondary display refrigeration unit, a pump in the duct for pumpingrefrigerated air from the primary refrigeration storage unit to thesecondary display refrigeration unit.

7. In a refrigeration apparatus including a primary refrigeration unitand a secondary refrigeration and display unit, the improvementcomprising a combination retainer and duct for securing the secondarydisplay unit to the primary refrigeration unit, said retainer beinghollow and providing duct means for conveying refrigerated air from theprimary refrigeration unit to the secondary refigeration and displayunit and an inclined bottom wall on the seconday unit to support goodstherein in a stepped pattern.

8. An auxiliary display unit for use with the primary refrigerationdisplay unit, said auxiliary unit comprising an insulated compartmentand a syphon connected thereto and adapted to extend to the bottom ofthe primary refrigeration and display unit for conveying cooling airfrom the primary refrigeration and display unit into the auxiliaryrefrigeration and display unit.

9. An auxiliary refrigeration and display unit for use with the primaryrefrigeration display unit, said auxiliary unit comprising an insulatedcompartment, said compartment having an opening at the top, a coverpivotally secured to the top of the compartment over the opening,

a syphon connected thereto and adapted to extend to the bottom of theprimary refrigeration and display unit for conveying cooling air fromthe primary refrigeration and display unit into the auxiliaryrefrigeration and display unit and pumping means to at least initiatethe flow of cool air from the primary refrigeration unit to theauxiliary unit.

10. An auxiliary refrigeration and display unit for use with the primaryrefrigeration display unit, said auxiliary unit comprising an insulatedcompartment having side walls and a syphon connected thereto and adaptedto extend to the bottom of the primary refrigeration and display unitfor conveying cooling air from the primary refrigeration and displayunit into the auxiliary refrigeration and display unit and an opening ina Wall of the compartment for exhausting air therefrom.

11. An auxiliary refrigeration and display unit for use with the primaryrefrigeration display unit, said auxiliary unit comprising an insulatedWalled compartment having an opening at the top, a cover over theopening, a syphon connected thereto and adapted to extend to the 'bottomof the primary refrigeration and display unit for conveying cooling airfrom the primary refrigeration and display unit into the auxiliaryrefrigeration and display unit and an opening in one wall of thecompartment for exhausting air from the compartment.

12. An auxiliary tray adapted for use with a refrigerated display case;

said tray comprising a substantially rectangular tray housing havingafront wall, a rear wall, two side walls and a bottom, said tray beingopen at the upper part thereof; duct means for drawing air through saidtray from said case; and,

means for connecting said tray to said case, whereby cold air from saidcase is drawn into said tray and through said duct to cool goodscontained on said Hoor of said case.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,928,239 9/ 1933 Amyot 62-2492,896,423 7/ 1959 Pettinato 62-249 3,135,568 `6/ 1964 Burkholder 62--2463,204,421 9/ 1965 Jirel 62-252 WILLIAM I. WYE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl.X.R. 62-252, 256, 419

